Grand plans for new Premier Inn hotel in Windsor town centre go on show

Members of the public got their first glimpse of an ambitious set of plans to build a 112-bedroom hotel on top of Windsor’s Daniel Department Store on Tuesday.

Hospitality company Whitbread unveiled its designs for a new Premier Inn hotel at the public consultation event held at Windsor Guildhall.

A selection of images gave the public a street level view of what the hotel could look like from King Edward Court and Peascod Street.

A 3D ‘fly-through’ video also showed what the proposed hotel’s impact could be on the Windsor skyline.

Aaran Daniel, property director at Daniel Department Store, said if given the go-ahead, he hoped the hotel could boost the economy and encourage people to stay longer in Windsor.

He added: “We’ve had lots of people saying it’s going to be too bulky but when you look at the modelling it seems to blend in very well with the background.

“We’re hoping people will want to spend the night and then go out the next day in Windsor.”

Kellie Jervis, openings manager for Whitbread, told the Express that while parking has still not been secured for the site, the hospitality company is looking at different parking options around the town.

She said: “We have sites in central London where we don’t have parking so it’s just a case of working with people in the town to find a solution.

“There’s a lot of heritage here and Windsor has a real community feel. We want to build relationships with residents from the start.”

Kerrin Walker, franchise director of the King Edward Court-based Vision Express, attended the consultation event at the Guildhall and told the Express the development would be a positive boost for the town.

“Anything that can bring more people to Windsor in my view is a positive thing. We definitely have a lack of hotel space in the town,” Kerrin said.

“The only reservations I have are over the impact on the shopping centre while it’s being built, and the problem with parking.

“I’d also like to see some investment from Daniel in the surrounding area.”

Whitbread hopes to submit a planning application to the borough once it has considered the consultation feedback.